As predicted the weather became colder but clearer this week and the dreaded rain was limited to showers once Sunday was past. Better for all of us, even the sheep in the neighbouring field who gather with their young ones in an area around a wooden electricity pylon, which seems to be used as a kind of crèche.

Meanwhile the stable ladies next door in the racehorse yard had wrapped up well to lead the horses out to the fields. At this point in the year, time in the fields is precious – and again the lack of rain helps to keep them from getting completely boggy, although the upside is that there is much more grass than is usual in January.

Job done and it’s back to the yard to warm up.

Last week I showed some views from the top of the lane where I live. Below is the bottom part of the lane looking back up the track. There is a house on both sides of the lane here and then nothing until the stables which are halfway up, just around the double bend, the beginning of which is visible at the top of this picture.

And here is a view from the first of those bends showing the Folly that lives in the field with the sheep, right outside my front door. There is something about a cold winter’s day bright sunlight that seems to sharpen photographs such as this in a special way.